The flagship of Maruapula’s outreach, they call it. And, yes, Maitisong could look like a large ship sailing across the tranquil thorn bush. Launched in 1987 by the then-Principal, David Matthews, it sailed off into uncharted territory sent off with the Maitisong Opening Festival. Maitisong was Botswana’s first fuctioning public theatre shared between the school and the community. It was an exciting venture.

Quickly the community took to the new and very ‘user-friendly’ theatre and its use took off so that there was, on average, one show a week. The Botswana Government, the B.D.F., the foreign embassies, hopeful promoters, schools, choirs and Maruapula itself came to put on shows. Great artists like Abdullah Ibrahim, Sibongile Khumalo, Pieter-Dirk Uys, Richard Cock, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Oliver Mtukudzi, have all been on the Maitisong stage. But, don’t forget, so have local Gospel choirs, drama groups and culgtural communities. Maitisong catered for all.

The Maitisong Opening Festival in 1987 became the annual Maitisong Festival, a week long festival of the arts in Botswana. It is the oldest and biggest arts Festival in Botswana bringing operatic and orchestral concerts to fee-paying audiences in Maitisong and non-stop Gospel, kwaito and Afro-pop shows to thousands of revellers in Old Naledi free of charge.

Because of its pioneering work, the Maitisong Office has become a useful cultural resource. Information and advice on performers, music lessons, theatre management and fund raising has been sought over the years. Its voice has been heard on the Botswana National Cultural Council, Botswana’s highest cultural body. It has also been closely associated with the Botswana Music Camp, an annual hands-on week of music making.

Maitisong has been a visible symbol of Maruapula’s policy of reaching out to the community as thousands of people come onto the school campus each year to attend shows. From the school’s point of view the shows and performers that have come to Maitisong have added a valuable cultural facet to their education here. It has also meant that the drama at the school has flourished and established itself as amongst the best in the region.

Maitisong has certainly made its mark in a way that the founders could not have foreseen. We now need the vision to steer this flagship into a very different Botswana from what it was in 1987.